Familiar Waters, World Stage: Alice Read Ahead of the 2026 iQFOiL World Championships

This September, the world’s best foiling windsurfers will descend on England’s south coast for the 2026 iQFOiL World Championships at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy — and for British Sailing Team athlete Alice Read, it will feel both deeply familiar and uniquely significant.

By Emma Maguire.

British sailor Alice Read

Set against the stunning backdrop of Weymouth and Portland, the championship venue is renowned worldwide for its elite racing conditions. Sheltered by Portland while still exposed to the power of the English Channel, the racecourse consistently delivers reliable late-summer south-westerly sea breezes, often strengthened by thermal effects over the land. It is a venue that has tested and shaped generations of British sailors — and for Alice, it is home.

“I feel both pressure and excitement that it’s at home and we get to show everyone our hard work and our knowledge of our home spot,” she says. “I also feel lucky to be able to live and train here!”

Elite athlete

For athletes competing on the international stage, home advantage can be both a comfort and a challenge. Familiar waters bring confidence, but they also carry expectation. Alice embraces both sides of that equation with calm maturity, recognising the privilege of competing in front of friends, family and the wider British sailing community.

“It is really special,” she explains. “I have a lot of friends and family coming who have never seen me windsurf and I hope to do them proud and do my best.”

Like many elite athletes, Alice’s development has not simply been physical. The journey through high-performance sport has shaped her mindset as much as her technique.

“It has taught me about patience and staying true to yourself,” she says. “I am quite particular with learning things and spending a lot of time on the details and it’s important to keep being you!”

Simplicity is key

That attention to detail is crucial in iQFOiL competition, where races unfold at extraordinary speed and athletes must constantly balance tactics, equipment handling and physical intensity. Yet despite the complexity of modern foiling windsurfing, Alice believes simplicity remains the key to performing well under pressure.

“Focus on the simple things, and do them well,” she says. “There is a lot going on, but simplifying it means you can stay concentrated and in control.”

The iQFOiL class represents the cutting edge of Olympic windsurfing — high-speed foiling boards capable of flying above the water, demanding explosive athleticism, precision and rapid decision-making. Racing at world championship level requires not only physical preparation, but also deep familiarity with shifting wind patterns, sea state, and equipment tuning.

Focused on the challenge!

Weymouth and Portland’s conditions are famously tactical. Athletes must read oscillating breezes, pressure shifts and tidal influences, often within seconds, making local knowledge a genuine advantage — something Alice is keenly aware of.

“I feel both,” she says when asked whether windsurfing feels individual or collective. “It is an amazing community and you know everyone has common goals and challenges, but it is an individual sport, so at the end of the day you have to fully focus on yourself and concentrate on your work.”

Perhaps most revealing is what success at these championships would represent personally. For Alice, the past year has included challenges both on and off the water. Competing strongly at a home World Championship would symbolise something deeper than results alone.

Resilient and ready!

“Resilience,” she says simply. “I’ve been through a few challenges in the last year, both within the sport and outside, and coming back and performing would symbolise strength and the love I have for the sport.”

As the countdown to September begins, Weymouth is preparing to welcome the world once again. For Alice Read, the 2026 iQFOiL World Championships are more than another regatta — they are an opportunity to race in familiar waters, in front of the people who know her best, with the resilience and passion that continue to drive her forward.